1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a therapeutic device and method to facilitate progressive desensitization of a sensitive digit tip such as a sensitive tip of a partially amputated finger, thumb, toe or big toe.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are numerous ways a person can injure a digit and produce a hypersensitive or otherwise sensitive digit tip such as a sensitive tip of a finger, thumb, toe or big toe. A sensitive digit tip can arise from a partially amputated, flayed or otherwise injured digit such as a partially amputated finger, thumb, or toe (including a big toe), wherein the injured digit has a sensitive tip.
For example, an accident with a metal hammer or moving part of a heavy machine can severe a finger at a point along the digit to produce a partially amputated digit with a sensitive digit tip. The tip of a digit may be flayed on rough contact with an abrasive surface such as a road surface. A part of a finger, thumb or toe may be spliced off by a blade, lifting machinery, or a hydraulic press stamping out or shaping e.g., vehicle parts. A driver of a vehicle may end up with a sensitive digit tip such as a partially spliced or flayed toe as a result of a vehicle accident. Thus, there are numerous ways a person can loose part of a digit to produce a sensitive digit tip.
Severing or flaying a finger, thumb, or toe often results in nerve damage which can result in a sensitive (including hypersensitive) digit tip. A patient with a sensitive digit tip is typically advised to follow a desensitization regime to alleviate or desensitize the sensitive digit tip. For example, a finger tip may be desensitized over time by gently tapping the finger tip or stump on a solid surface such as a table top. However, such tapping can cause considerable discomfort to a patient to the extent that the patient may prematurely curtail the desensitization regime.
A patient with a sensitive digit tip can suffer loss of earnings, particularly if the patient requires full use of their digits. Even where a patient does not need to have full use of their digits, a patient can still suffer from a lack of confidence in using their full complement of digits. For example, a patient with family responsibilities such as small children will find it hard to maintain a normal life style without constant fear of inadvertently touching a sensitive digit tip. Regaining confidence is clearly desirably in the use of, for example, a finger with a hypersensitive tip. Thus, there exists a need for a digit therapy device and method to desensitize a sensitive digit tip.
A wide range of therapeutic equipment is available from several well known manufacturers, which are widely used in a clinical setting by physiotherapists, including hand therapists. However, there is a lack of devices for desensitizing a sensitive digit tip. More particularly, there is a serious lack of appropriate devices than can be used by a patient in a home or office setting. Thus, there is a need for a device that can be used in a non-clinical setting to desensitize a sensitive digit tip.
In addition, equipment devoted to hand and finger therapy is often expensive, complicated and cumbersome to use. Thus, there is a need for a digit therapy device and method that is easy to use, can be used on a common household table top or carried on a train or used in an office setting, and is effective in desensitizing a sensitive digit tip.
Several efforts have been made to address these problems. U.S. Pat. No. 86,722 issued Feb. 9, 1869 to A. C. Armengol describes a key board for exercising fingers. The '722 device is designed to help a key board learner to acquire skills in fingering the keys of a key board. The '722 device is not designed to help a patient with an injured hand comprising a sensitive finger tip.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,914 issued May 26, 1998 to M. Streibl, describes a finger exerciser device to train and strengthen the finger mechanics of a musician. However, the '914 presupposes that the user is healthy and has at least reasonable use of their fingers, hand, arm, and wrist. The '914 device is not suitable for desensitizing an injured finger tip such as the tip of a recently partly amputated finger.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,202,202 issued Dec. 28, 1937, to G. Hesse, describes a device for exercising the fingers in the movements required for playing musical instruments such as a piano, violin, violoncello, guitar and the like. The '202 device fails to address the special issues associated with a patient with a sensitive finger tip.
British Patent Application No. GB 2221847A (2 221 847 A) published, Feb. 21, 1990 to P. McCann, describes an exercise device for assisting the player of a stringed instrument in developing his fingering skills. The '847 device comprises a manually graspable rigid base and a length of resilient wire. The '847 device also presupposes that the user is healthy and has at least reasonable use of their fingers. The '847 device is not suitable for desensitizing a sensitive finger tip.
Other patents showing devices for hand related devices but which do not solve the above mentioned problems include U.S. Pat. No. Des. 416, 299 issued Nov. 9, 1999 to P. M. P. Hug (a finger exerciser); U.S. Pat. No. 251,206 issued Dec. 20, 1881 to H. Forbush (device for training muscles used in writing); U.S. Pat. No. 638,632 issued Dec. 5, 1899 to V. M. Griffin (musician's finger strengthener); U.S. Pat. No. 806,681 issued Dec. 5, 1905 to E. B. Kursheedt (finger exercising device for improving, e.g. lateral reach for playing instruments); U.S. Pat. No. 1,204,437 issued Nov. 14, 1916 to V. Heinze (means for correcting the human hand for musical purposes); U.S. Pat. No. 3,227,446 issued Jan. 4, 1966 to J. A. Minasola (finger, hand and wrist developer); U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,200 issued Aug. 8, 1978 to A. Unger (hand and finger exercise device); U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,027 issued Apr. 18, 1989 to T. R. Kascak (therapeutic and arm exercise device); U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,613 issued Apr. 14, 1998 to T. Clayton (device and method for exercising the muscles of the fingers and hand using weights); U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,621 issued Mar. 14, 2000 to T. W. Hancock (digit gym for the exercise of hand and finger muscles); U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,750 B1 issued Jan. 30, 2001 to B. T. Lonergan (hand exercise system); U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,698 B1 issued Nov. 13, 2001 to G. Barber (guitar player's finger exerciser and method); U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,874 B1 issued Sep. 3, 2002 to M. Bennett (occupational therapy apparatus for strengthening fingers, hand, wrist, forearm and foot); and WO 90/07957 issued Jul. 26, 1990 to Peronelli and Rossa (weight-based exerciser for the fingers).
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a digit therapy device solving the aforementioned problems is desired.